Game apparatus.



180.884,605. I n G N'MOEVOY' PATBNTPD APR 14,1908

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.6,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

GEORGE N. MCEVOY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GAME APPARATUS.

i No. 884,605.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE N. McEvoY, a citizen of the United States, and residing in the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and use ful Improvement in a Garne Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel. and useful chance-controlled game apparatus and has particular application to an improved gameboard adapted to be employed in playing such gaine.

In the present instance, I have in View providing a board for use in connection with a chancecontrolled fgame of' amusement,

Awhich board is so constructed that the position of the men, or movable game pieces, when traveling over the surface thereof cannot be determined or controlled, such element of uncertainty greatly increasing the interest of the game to the players.

`My invention consists in the improvement set forth in and falling within the scope of the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown a preferred form of my invention by way of illustration, like characters of reference indicate like parts in all of the views, and Figure 1 is a top plan view of a game apparatus embodying my improvement; Fig. 2

is a view in side elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken ron the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cradle or support for the game-board.

The game apparatus which I have devised and which I am about to describe in detail is primarily intended to be used in connection with a chance-controlled game, in which certain terms familiar to those in the railway world are employed, and it will be noted that hereafter I have designated certain parts of the board by such terms as Stations,

Switches, Round house77 and Repair shop all of which terms areemployedfor the purpose of associating in the mind of the vplayer certain features and terms applicable to railway systems, such as subway railroads, and the like.

In the preferred form of game apparatus which I have herein shown, I make use of a board which is in the nature of a long, rectangular trough-like body 5, having side Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 6, 1905.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 248,406.

flanges' and end flanges 7. Near one end portion of the board, for instance, at 8, is formed a receptacle 9'provided with a sliding cover 10, which cover is provided with a series of holes 11 for the reception of the counting pegs (not shown.) The receptacle 9 is formed with two pockets, that at 12 being adapted for the reception of the game pieces 13, when not in use, while the pocket 14 is intended to receive the counting pegs. Adjacent to the receptacle 9 is a comb-like piece 15 having the projections or teeth 16 extending along the surface of the board 5 and inward toward the center thereof, the ends of such teeth being referably pointed, as shown at 17. Arrangerl quite close to, but spaced apart from, this comb, which forms stations in the game, are the strips 18 arranged parallel to each other and forming runways for directing the ball, the central strip of the series having an arrow-sha ed head portion 19 adapted to deflect a all which may strike against the same.

For the purpose of further adding to the uncertainty of the course of the ball I have arranged a stud or peg 20 between the central strip of the series 18 and the comb, while two relatively short strips 21 are arranged parallel to each other near the respective side flanges of the board. Near the center of the board is arranged an approximately heartshaped block 22 having a cut-away portion 23 cut in the edge thereof, so that any ball striking in this portion of the block will be re` tained therein. And, for the purposes of this game, I have designated such block as the Round house, a term ordinarily applied to the storage-house for railway engines. Surrounding this central block, or round house, are the inclined curve strips 24 and 25 arranged at an angle relative to each other so that the ball will be readily deflected when striking against such strips 24, and 25, while placed between these strips 25 and the arrow head 19 is a switch member 26 pivoted at 27 and adapted to be moved by contact of aball. Deflected studs 28, 28 are arranged at the sides of the pivoted bar or switch 26, while the segmental blocks 29 are arranged at the sides of the board to further increase the uncertain course of the ball. Similar segmental blocks 30, 3() are arranged adjacent to the inclined curve strips 24, and a deflecting pin 31 proximately midway between these two blocks 30. To further change the course ofa ball or man traveling from the pockets of the comb toward the lower end of the board, I have arranged a plurality of elbow-shaped pieces 32, 32, having their widened end portions 33, 33 inclined toward each other, an X- shaped switch block 34 being pivoted at 35 in the space between said pieces 32, such switch, like that shown at 26, is designedto be moved by the ball in its passage. A block 35a which in this game is termed the Repair shop, and is somewhat similar in construction to the round house block except that the cut-away portion 36 of the block 35a is preferably larger than the cut-away portion of the block 22, is placed near the lower end 8a of the board, and extends in a direction opposite to the block 23, and between the cut or opening 36, in the block 35, and the switch 34, is situated a stud 37, similar to the stud 31. At the lower end of the board is placed a comb-piece 38 similar in construction to that shown at 15 with the teeth 39 thereof extending toward the teeth 16 of the comb 15, and the end of said teeth 39 being also-pointed as shown at 40, such comb also forming stations This board is provided with trunnions 41 extending from the sides thereof, which trunnions are adapted to rest bearing portions 42 cut in the supporting cradle or base 43. The construction of this base is clearly shown in perspective in Fig. 5 and in its present form comprises side members 44 connected together by bars 45, 45, the bearing portions 42 being out in the top of said side blocks.

The above is a description of one of the referred forms of my board and, as has been heretofore stated, is adapted to be used in connection with a chance-controlled game, in which game there are employed certain terms which are common in the railway world. This game may be played by any number of persons at one time, and each of the spaces s between the teeth of the combs 38 and 15 is considered a station Each player places a marble in one of the stations and the board, which is mounted upon its base, is then tilted at one end, as isshown at Fig. 2, so that the marbles or men will start to run down the inclined way. When the marbles have entered stations at the opposite end, or otherwise stopped, the amounts indicated by the figures at the point where the marble is held, are scored or counted. The game may be played with many variations in the matter of counting and the like without in any way affecting the invention; one desirable method of counting being this: When a marble enters the repair Shop 35a, 100 is deducted from the count of the player to whom the marble belongs, while if two marbles enter the repair Shop, 50 is deducted from each, while, on the contrary, a

- marble entering the round house" scores 50.

seaosl In keeping tab or account of the game pegsf may be used which are held by the apertures 11 in the cover of the receptacle at the end of the boar'd much in the same manner as the counting pegs are held in a Cribbage board.

It will be seen by examination of this board that it is quite impossible to determine precisely the course a marble or man will take when leaving the station, in as much as it is liable to deflection by any one of the numerous obstructions arranged in the path between the stations s formed by the comb l5 and the comb 38. When the marbles have been stopped or have reached the stations at the lowermost end of the tilted board, such end may be elevated to depress the opposite end and the men or marbles will then travel downward toward such depressed end.

Any suitable total amount may be used as a limit to the game, for instance, 10,000, and the player first reaching such amount is declared the winner.

While I have herein shown and described a particular construction of game-board and I have, for the purpose of clearness, explained one manner of playing the game, it will be understood that I do not limit myself in the construction of such board to the precise details herein set forth, as numerous modications and'variations may be made in the arrangement of the deflecting pieces and in the shape thereof, and also in the construction of the board andstations and the supporting apparatus of such board, so long as such changes fall within the scope of the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a support, of a game board mounted to rock thereon, said board having a deflecting switch member pivoted thereto, a station or pocket for the reception of the game piece or ball arranged at each end of the board, and a plurality of blocks having cut away portions therein ar ranged on the board between the stations or 11o pockets.

2. A game-board comprising a body portion mounted. to rock upon a support having a pocket or station formed at each end there of for the reception of a ball or similar game piece, a block mounted on said board and having an opening therein to receive the ball or game-piece, and a pivoted switch member arranged adjacent to said block.

3. A game board comprising a body portion having a station or pocket at each end thereof, a block arranged at approximately the center of said board and formed with a cut away portion, inclined deiiecting strips secured to the board adjacent to the block, and a pivoted switch member arranged adjacent to certain of the inclined strips.

4. A game-board having a plurality of pockets or stations, a plurality of deflecting switch members, and a deiiecting strip have ing an enlarged end portion secured to the board adjacent to one of said switch members.

5. A game-board comprising a body portion having stations or pockets for the reception of a game piece, such as a ball, and means for deflecting the course of the game piece when the latter is traveling, such means including run-ways, a plurality of pegs secured to the surface of the board, a plurality of inclined strips arranged intermediate the stations, a block having an opening therein for the reception ofthe game piece, a deflecting strip having a widened end portion and a pivoted switch member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my rame to this specification in the presence of wo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE N. MCEVOY. Witnesses:

JOHN F. DREYER, A. E. STIER. 

